I brewed a "possible" lager over 120 hours ago.
12 lbs pilsner malt, 0.5 lbs caraaroma malt, and 0.5 lbs honey malt, plus some hops. 5 gallon batch with an OG of 1.064. Mash was 90 minutes long. Water was distilled with some added, epsom salt, calcium carbonate, baking soda, calcium chlroide.
I pitched a czech pilsner wyyeast smack pack at 75F. I waited 72 hours, lifted the lid and nothing was happening. I checked the smack pack date and it was for May 2012, or 6 months old. The smack pack also did not inflate.
I then panicked and decided I would settle for an ale and through in some safale-05. I waited 12 hours and suddenly decided I still wanted a lager, so I got the temp down to 55F to put the safale to sleep while I went to the homebrew shop to get another lager yeast.
Another smack pack, Muncih lager yeast (they were out of czech pils yeast), this time it inflated, I through it in at 64F.
Now it has been another 36+ hours at 66F and no activity still!
I usually use white labs liquid yeast or dry yeast and make a starter but skipped the starter this time due to the smack pack.
Any suggestions?
Pitch more into my yeast cocktail? Wait? Dump to free up the fermentor and brew again?
Even if it does get going now, which isn't looking probable, I will not know which yeast has started, the ale or lager. I will be tempted to lower the temp for lager ferm and possibly put the fermentation to sleep again if the safale is what starts.
12 lbs pilsner malt, 0.5 lbs caraaroma malt, and 0.5 lbs honey malt, plus some hops. 5 gallon batch with an OG of 1.064. Mash was 90 minutes long. Water was distilled with some added, epsom salt, calcium carbonate, baking soda, calcium chlroide.
I pitched a czech pilsner wyyeast smack pack at 75F. I waited 72 hours, lifted the lid and nothing was happening. I checked the smack pack date and it was for May 2012, or 6 months old. The smack pack also did not inflate.
I then panicked and decided I would settle for an ale and through in some safale-05. I waited 12 hours and suddenly decided I still wanted a lager, so I got the temp down to 55F to put the safale to sleep while I went to the homebrew shop to get another lager yeast.
Another smack pack, Muncih lager yeast (they were out of czech pils yeast), this time it inflated, I through it in at 64F.
Now it has been another 36+ hours at 66F and no activity still!
I usually use white labs liquid yeast or dry yeast and make a starter but skipped the starter this time due to the smack pack.
Any suggestions?
Pitch more into my yeast cocktail? Wait? Dump to free up the fermentor and brew again?
Even if it does get going now, which isn't looking probable, I will not know which yeast has started, the ale or lager. I will be tempted to lower the temp for lager ferm and possibly put the fermentation to sleep again if the safale is what starts.